An attractive species of Gracilaria featuring rigid, lobe shaped branches that form a tight symmetrical bush. It’s lightly calcified so the addition of calcium is recommended. It grows mainly in shallow, protected, high nutrient habitats attached to sponges, shell and rocks. It often hosts other algae species and is frequently covered in colonial tunicates or encrusted with epiphytic bryozoans. The coloration varies between deep crimson red to bright orange depending on the amount of light provided. It’s found attached by a single holdfast or found tumbling in drift algae mats. Overall it’s one of the easiest marine macro algae to keep and will grow well under a variety of conditions. Due to it’s lightly calcified branches this species isn’t known to be very palatable to fish or invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Gracilaria hayi
Common Name: Red Bush, Fire Algae
Origin: Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Tropical Atlantic
Maximum Height : 10″
Growth Rate: Medium
Light: Moderate to Low
Temperature: 78-82
Propagation: Fragmentation, sporulation
Difficulty: Easy
Food Value: Not very palatable
Nutrient Uptake: Excellent
Flow Rate: Moderate